Jesse Walker

WARSAW — A Nappanee man was sentenced today, Dec. 1, for beating his girlfriend’s four-year-old daughter.

Jesse Doe Walker, 26, 214 Stonewall Court, Nappanee, was charged with battery on a person less than 14-years-old, a level 5 felony.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, a Nappanee police officer spoke with a female on Nov. 6, 2015, who said her live-in boyfriend, Walker had battered her child in the home on Oct. 4, 2015.

The female reported Walker became angry with the child for not putting toys in the proper location of the minor’s room. Walker picked the minor up and threw her against the wall, causing bruising to the minor’s face and neck. Police were told Walker closed the minor’s bedroom door on the mother and she could hear sounds of spanking on the other side.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the minor told Zach Hollinger, who was with the department of child services, the spanking happened because she had not cleaned her bedroom. The child reported Walker told her he did not want to be her father and spanked her on the bottom using his hand. The child stated she had handprints everywhere on her body from being spanked.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Walker admitted to spanking the child and holding her head down, causing injuries to her neck during the spanking. He also admitted he was angry while he was spanking the child.

During the sentencing, Donna Beer, grandmother of the victim, spoke against Walker. Beer referenced the changes in the behavior of the victim, her five-year-old granddaughter, since the abuse had occurred.

“She is scared of being punished for the slightest things,” said Beer.

Monica Miller, also a grandmother of the victim, spoke on behalf of Walker. “I’ve seen a change in Jesse,” since the incident occurred. She indicated that Walker was very remorseful for his actions and that he simply wanted to have his family back together again,

Prosecutor Katy Hampton mentioned she felt Walker deserved the maximum sentence because, “There’s no assurance this won’t happen again.” She added, “He clearly has a Jeckyll and Hyde personality.”

The mother of the victim, Marlene Miller, spoke on behalf of Walker. Miller stated that since the father of her daughter has not been present in her daughter’s life, Walker has been her father figure since she was two-years-old. Miller also stated she and Walker have a two-year-old child together.

Miller asked Judge David Cates to not to send Walker to prison based on the fact that she relies on Walker for financial and emotional support for herself and her two daughters.

Walker spoke and said, “I take full responsibility for what I did… I don’t want to do this again.”

Walker indicated he had anger issues that stemmed from a rough childhood with a father who was constantly angry with him.

Cates sentenced Walker to three years to be served at the Fulton County Correctional Facility and two years probation. Walker is to have no contact with the victim.